overwhelm

  • 1overwhelm — [v1] flood, beat physically bury, conquer, crush, defeat, deluge, destroy, drown, drub*, engulf, inundate, massacre, overcome, overflow, overpower, overrun, overthrow, rout, smother, submerge, swamp, thrash, total*, whip*, win*; concepts 86,95… …

    New thesaurus

  • 2Overwhelm — O ver*whelm , n. The act of overwhelming. [R.] [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3Overwhelm — O ver*whelm , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Overwhelmed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Overwhelming}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To cover over completely, as by a great wave; to overflow and bury beneath; to ingulf; hence, figuratively, to immerse and bear down; to… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4overwhelm — I verb astonish, beat, besiege, bewilder, bury, confound, confuse, conquer, daze, defeat, deluge, demergere, destroy, discomfit, immerse, impress, inundate, master, obruere, opprimere, overcome, overpower, overrun, overthrow, quash, quell, shock …

    Law dictionary

  • 5overwhelm — (v.) early 14c., to turn upside down, to overthrow, from OVER (Cf. over) + M.E. whelmen to turn upside down (see WHELM (Cf. whelm)). Meaning to submerge completely is mid 15c. Perhaps the connecting notion is a boat, etc., washed over, and… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 6overwhelm — ► VERB 1) submerge beneath a huge mass. 2) defeat completely; overpower. 3) have a strong emotional effect on. DERIVATIVES overwhelming adjective. ORIGIN from archaic whelm engulf or submerge , from Old English …

    English terms dictionary

  • 7overwhelm — [ō΄vər hwelm′, ō΄vərwelm′] vt. [ME oferwhelmen: see OVER & WHELM] 1. to pour down upon and cover over or bury beneath 2. to make helpless, as with greater force or deep emotion; overcome; crush; overpower 3. Obs. to overthrow or overturn… …

    English World dictionary

  • 8overwhelm — verb ADVERB ▪ absolutely, completely, totally ▪ quite, rather ▪ almost, nearly ▪ suddenly …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 9overwhelm — [[t]o͟ʊvə(r)(h)we̱lm[/t]] overwhelms, overwhelming, overwhelmed 1) VERB If you are overwhelmed by a feeling or event, it affects you very strongly, and you do not know how to deal with it. [be V ed] He was overwhelmed by a longing for times past …

    English dictionary

  • 10overwhelm */ — UK [ˌəʊvə(r)ˈwelm] / US [ˌoʊvərˈwelm] / US [ˌoʊvərˈhwelm] verb [transitive] Word forms overwhelm : present tense I/you/we/they overwhelm he/she/it overwhelms present participle overwhelming past tense overwhelmed past participle overwhelmed 1) a) …

    English dictionary